Well flowing apparatus



July 14, 1942. I ,L. M. TRAWICK 2,289,603

WELL FLOWING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 5, 1940 "H, 5, l 1, UN

INVENTOR 4 LMJma/iok ATTORNEY Patented July 14, 1942 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE WELL FLOWING APPARATUS Lynn M. Trawick, Stroud, Okla.

Application September 3, 1940, Serial No. 355,273

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the pneumatic lifting offluids from wells, and more particularly but not by way of limitation,to the arrangement of an intermitting flow apparatus in a well hole.This application relates to subject matter disclosed but not claimed inapplicants copending application, Serial No. 355,274, filed September 3,1940.

An important object of this invention is to provide an inlet collar tothe eduction tubing employed in the flowing of oil from the well hole,said collar being constructed to control the directional flow of motivefluid pressure.

A further object of this invention is to provide a collar for theeduction tubing employed in the flowing of liquid from a well of suchconstruction as to receive a plurality of control units determining theflow of fluid into the eduction tubing.

And still an additional object of this invention is to provide anintermitting system for flowing wells so arranged in the well thatmotive gas is directed into the tubing at a point depending upon thefluid level in the eduction tubing.

And still another object of this invention is to provide a collar for aneduction tubing employed in the flowing of oil from well holes soconstructed and arranged with a plurality of passageways, part of whichare to receive control devices for determining the flow of input gasthrough the collar and directing the gas against the liquid to be liftedat a point depending upon the liquid level.

And still a further object of this invention is to provide an automaticintermitting apparatus arranged in the eduction tubing employed in theflowing of liquid from a well in such a manner that the apparatus actsas a choke for decreasing the volume of liquid to be lifted therebyconserving the amount of motive fluid necessary to lift the liquid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from thefollowing detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing which illustrates one form of my invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view with certain parts inelevation showing the arrangement of the device disposed in the wellhole.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional vertical view of the collar with certainelements attached thereto in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 in part showing a modifiedarrangement by the use of pack ing in the well.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the intermitting unit or system isarranged in a string of casing 2 shown disposed in a well, with thelower end of the casing in proximity of the shot hole 4. The upper endof the casing extends to the surface and is secured to any suitablecasing head or the like (not shown). A string of tubing 6 extends fromthe surface of the well in spaced relation to the casing 2.

A collar 8 is interposed in the tubing 6 and is preferably threadedlysecured between the tubing sections at a point fifty to a hundred feetabove the normal liquid level of the well. The collar 8, clearly shownin detail in Fig. 2, is provided with a centrally disposed spider I0having a vertical threaded bore or passageway 12. The passageway l2intersects with a transverse passageway l4 providing communicationtherebetween. Sleeves or bushings [6 are threadedly secured at oppositeends of the bore [4.

'As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper portion of bore I2 isadapted to receive a cylindrical housing IB containing an intermittingvalve unit controlling the flow of input air or gas into the bores I4and I 2 to be discharged into the eduction tubing 6. The details of thevalve unit form no part of this invention, and will not be describedhere.

A string of smaller sized tubing 20 is secured in the lower portion ofthe passageway l2, and extends vertically downward from the collar 8 inspaced relation to the eduction tubing 6 extending downwardly from thecollar 8. The smaller tubing 2!) is interconnected by a plurality ofcouplings or valve collars 24 (Fig. 1) having associated therewith adiiferential valve unit (not shown in detail). The lower end of thetubing 20 is provided with a suitable bull plug or the like. The lowerend of tubing 6 is provided with a plug 28. A plurality of perforations3B are provided in the tubing in order to allow the free flow of oilfrom the shot hole into the interior 32 of the eduotion tubing belowcollar 8.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is for the use of pressure gas from thewell itself, it being understood that the casing is blocked off at thesurface of the well( not shown). In Fig. 3 a modified arrangement isshown by the use of packing 33 blocking on? pressure gas from the wellwhen it is desired to use surface gas from any suitable source (notshown).

Operation In operation, motive fluid for lifting the liquid ismaintained substantially constant in the space 36 provided between theeduction tubing and casing 2, and discharged into the sleeve 16, andbore I4, onto either the intermitting unit I8 or the smaller string oftubing 20 and lower valves (not shown) in collars 24 standing in theeduction tubing.

The lower valve units provided in collars 24 function to allow passageof motive fluid therethrough for lifting the liquid to a point above thecollar 8 where the hydrostatic head of the well liquid will operate theintermitting valve unit ill to allow passage of motive fluidtherethrough for slugging the oil vertically upward in space 34 onto thesurface. It will be apparent that the arrangement of the smaller tubing20 and the valve collars 24 in the space 32 acts as a choke to decreasethe volume in space 32, which in turn decreases the amount of volume ofliquid to be lifted from this space to an elevation above the collar 8.Furthermore, it will be apparent that with less liquid to be lifted itwill take a decreased amount of gas at a constant pressure therebyproviding an economical and conservative use of motive fluid.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the construction andarrangement of the intermitting apparatus in the eduction tubing of thewell is simple and eflicient in that the smaller sized tubing of thecooperating valve collars acts as a choke for decreasing the volume ofspace for oil to be lifted, which decreases the frictional resistance offluid flow, as well as conserves the volume of motive fluid in cubicfeet for lifting the smaller volume of liquid above the collar where itis then aerated to the surface of the well.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts asheretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawing, itbeing understood that any modification in the precise embodiment of theinvention may be made within the scope of the following claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a well tubing, a collar in said tubing, saidcollar having a spider disposed therein, an unobstructed transversepassageway therethrough, a second passageway provided in the spider insubstantial alignment with the tubing and communicating with the firstmentioned passageway, a string of small tubing secured in the lowerportion of the second mentioned passageway and extending verticallydownward from the collar in spaced relation to the well tubing, aplurality of collars interposed at successive elevations in the stringof small tubing, said smaller tubing and collars adapted to act as achoke for decreasing the volume of space in the well tubing below thefirst mentioned collar.

2. In combination with a well tubing, a fitting comprising a spiderdisposed therein, an unobstructed transverse passageway therethrough, avertical passageway provided in the spider and communicating with thetransverse passageway, a string of small tubing secured in the verticalpassageway and extending vertically downward from the fitting in spacedrelation to the well tubing, a plurality of collars interposed atsuccessive elevations in the string of smaller tubing and adapted toform a choke for decreasing the volume of space in the well tubing belowthe fitting, and a valve mechanism secured in the upper portion of thevertical passageway.

3. In a well flowing apparatus including an eduction tubing forconducting liquid from the well, an inlet collar for admitting motivefluid interposed in the tubing, an unobstructed transverse passagewayprovided in the collar, a vertical passageway provided in the collar andcommunieating with the transverse passageway, a string of small tubingsecured in the vertical passageway and extending vertically downwardfrom the collar in spaced relation to the well tubing, a plurality ofvalve collars having valves disposed therein interposed at successiveelevations in the string of smaller tubing and cooperating with thesmall tubing to form a choke for decreasing the volume of space in theeduction tubing below the inlet collar.

4. In a well flowing apparatus including an eduction tubing forconducting liquid from the well, an inlet collar for admitting motivefluid interposed in the tubing, an unobstructed transverse passagewayprovided in the collar, a vertical passageway in the collar andcommunicating with the transverse passageway, a string of small tubingsecured in the vertical passageway and extending vertically downwardfrom the collar in spaced relation to the well tubing, a plurality ofcollars interposed at successive elevations in the string of smallertubing cooperating with the small tubing to form a choke for decreasingthe volume of space in the eduction tubing below the inlet collar, andan aerating valve secured in the upper portion of the verticalpassageway.

5. In combination with the eduction tubing of an oil well, a motivefluid inlet collar interposed in the tubing, a transverse passagewayprovided in the collar, a vertical passageway provided in the collar andcommunicating with the transverse passageway, a string of smaller tubingsecured in the lower portion of the vertical passageway and extendingvertically downward from the collar in spaced relation to the eductiontubing, a plurality of valve collars having valves disposed therein andinterposed at successive elevations in the string of small tubing andadapted to act as a choke for decreasing the volume of space in the welltubing below the collar.

LYNN M. TRAWICK.

